Frost dates for Bedford, MA
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
April 27
typical year
Safe to plant
May 11
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 13
typical year
Growing season
169 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 30 – May 11 | Sep 1 – 15 |
| Onions | – | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 6 – 20 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 6 – 27 | Jul 21 – Aug 4 |
| Beets | – | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Aug 4 – 18 |
| Kale | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Aug 4 – 18 |
| Broccoli | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 13 – 27 | Aug 4 – 18 |
| Cabbage | Feb 2 – 16 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Aug 4 – 18 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 1 – 22 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 16 – 30 | May 11 – 25 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 9 – 23 | May 18 – Jun 1 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 11 – Jun 1 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 11 – Jun 8 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 11 – Jun 1 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 11 – Aug 4 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 11 – Jun 8 | – |
| Basil | Apr 6 – 20 | May 18 – 25 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | May 11 | April 27 | April 13 |
| Fall frost before | October 1 | October 13 | October 29 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around April 12 (April 26 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 27.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station BEDFORD, MA US (USC00190535), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 5 miles:
01730, 01741, 01821
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.